Housing

HF 1008 creates a legal framework for Iowa municipalities to establish "land redevelopment trusts" aimed at addressing blighted, abandoned, or dilapidated properties. These trusts, created by city ordinance or county resolution, can acquire, rehabilitate, and manage such properties to revitalize neighborhoods and boost tax revenue. The bill defines key terms like "blighted" (unsafe, deteriorated properties) and outlines that trusts must be governed by local boards composed of officials or employees, serving without pay. This enables communities to proactively restore non-productive properties into productive uses, such as affordable housing or commercial spaces, without mandating specific actions.

HF 876 requires sellers to disclose whether a property has lead service lines (pipes carrying water) as part of standard real estate disclosure forms. This directly affects home buyers and sellers in Minnesota during property transactions. The bill adds specific language to existing disclosure documents to ensure buyers are informed about potential lead pipe risks before purchasing. It became law after passing unanimously in both chambers and receiving the Governor's signature on June 6, 2025.

HF 1037 modifies economic development and urban renewal provisions to encourage housing development, affecting municipalities and housing developers. The bill expands the definition of "economic development" to include the provision of workforce housing and requires public bodies to consider workforce housing development policies. For housing projects in certain urban renewal areas, it caps the required amount of low and moderate-income housing at 20% of the original project cost. Additionally, the bill extends the period for collecting tax increment financing revenue for these specific projects to 20 fiscal years.

This bill mandates that counties and cities in Iowa must allow at least one accessory dwelling unit (ADU) on lots with single-family residences. It directly affects property owners by standardizing and simplifying the process of building ADUs, and local governments by limiting their regulatory authority. The legislation sets statewide parameters, such as allowing ADUs up to 1,000 square feet or 50% of the main house, whichever is larger. It prohibits local ordinances from imposing overly restrictive rules on aspects like design, parking, owner-occupancy, or separate utility connections. Furthermore, it requires local governments to approve compliant ADU permits without discretionary review, following the same timeline as single-family home permits.